Getting to know the albums

[ChrisGlastonbury]

As a long time DS fan, but relatively new to MK’s solo stuff (I posted a couple of years ago about my late introduction via The Ragpicker’s Dream) I’ve been working my way through the albums.

Anyway, here I am now, having bought and listened to all the solo albums. And I thought I’d give you the headlines.

Best album? Privateering. Love this. Production is great, and the songs really strong. Mark’s voice is superb as well. This should be much better known than it is - it’s a genuine classic, and wow, the harmonica.

Worst: Tracker. Listened several times and I just can’t get into it. Feels like a real misstep.

Still can’t get into Golden Heart. It’s ok but feels very inconsistent.

As for the others, varying degrees of good and great!

Would love to hear other’s thoughts on Privateering and Tracker - see whether I’m out of sync…

Chris


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[quizzaciously]

You have a pretty rational opinion of the albums as they represent almost everything you've described.

Golden Heart was a first solo effort from MK, after many ups and downs, after a devastating On Every Street tour, it was Mark trying to reinvent himself. The album was recorded all other the world, from Nashville to Dublin and London, I'm pretty sure the songs were also compiled from the scope of Mark's own junkyard as he calls it. "Rüdiger", for instance, was written at least 15 years prior to the recording. So a bit of inconsistency should be expected, though the songs are strong as ever.

Privateering, released 10 years ago, was a pinnacle of Mark's partnership with Chuck Ainlay, and a pinnacle of this formula when the albums seemed to be more and more of the same thing, which is no surprise since from 2007 Mark recorded exclusively in his own recording studio, British Grove Studios. Since then more and more effort has seemingly gone into the sonic qualities of the music.

Tracker represents the departure of Chuck Ainlay and Guy Fletcher stepping in as Mark's main co-producer, and this reinventing of the formula continues to this day. I'm "famously" not a fan of it, I would prefer Mark working with Chuck till the end of the world, but I guess he believes his music needed a bit of a refreshing take. Which is fair and works, no doubt about it, just not my cup of tea.

[dustyvalentino]

Sometimes less is more... and Privateering is just too damn long in my opinion. Could do without the blues tracks, or have them on a separate album.

I think Tracker is one of his best, great songs on that one, Basil in particular is beautiful.

[Robson]

I really like the Tracker album as much as Privateering. Basil, River Towns, Long Cool Girl, Silver Eagle, Whererev I Go... are beautiful songs plus b-sides

[superval99]

Tracker is one of my top three albums, the other two being KTGC and Shangri-La.  I love them all equally!

Regarding Privateering, there are many songs that I like a lot, including the bluesy ones, but it is a bit long and I hardly listen to it these days. 

[rmarques821]

I love both Privateering and Tracker. My issue with both of these albums is the bonus tracks. I mean, how is Follow The Ribbon not the closer of Privateering?
And Terminal of Tribute To, My Heart Has Never Changed, Time Will End All Sorrow? Any of these would be swappable with Broken Bones, which a song I never understood both lyrically and musically.
Oh well... You get used to it after years of being a fan 

[Robson]

Broken Bones is fine for me, but any b-side is better than Skydiver

[KnopfleRick]

Privateering is a good album with lots of great songs, but way too long and it would do better without the blusy songs.
My favourite is Shangri-La. The whole production is excellent. The songs, the singing, the playing, the atmosphere, all is excellent.
I love Tracker and its great bonus tracks, Golden Heart, Ragpickers, Get Lucky etc.
Honestly, I l love all of his solos work. Each album has its own identity and I never get tired to listen to all of them.

[Robson]

"Honestly, I l love all of his solos work. Each album has its own identity and I never get tired to listen to all of them.

 

[KnopfleRick]

Broken Bones is fine for me, but any b-side is better than Skydiver

Broken Bones was a good opener, but I never liked the live version of Skydiver.

[Robson]

"...but I never liked the live version of Skydiver.

I can agree here too

[quizzaciously]

It's funny that in retrospect, with Privateering I don't even remember it being a long album at all, I mentally divide it into the blues part and "normal album" part. Surely the blues half needed to be on a separate album or on bonus tracks, but I can't see Mark releasing a "bonus" album filled with blues, so we got probably the safest result (for Mark) with that album. Of course, if you take out some of the blues tracks, the album could've been a 1CD album after all.

It reminds me of the compilation 1962–1966 by The Beatles, which, being just over 60 minutes in length, could've easily been a 1CD album, but they made it a double album just to match the next compilation, 1967–1970. So, strange double album decisions are not a new thing. Right from the moment I heard Privateering is going to be a double album I knew something isn't right here. If you have so many songs, jeez, just release albums more often, no need to put all the eggs in one basket.

[Robson]

Yes, but remember: album - tour. And there are only 3 years between Privateering and Tracker. Another album at this time has no chance 

[straitsway75]

"Honestly, I l love all of his solos work. Each album has its own identity and I never get tired to listen to all of them.

 

+1

[JF]

Broken Bones is fine for me, but any b-side is better than Skydiver

I like very much skydiver